The present invention is directed primarily to a collective lever construction and mounting for the purpose of overcoming problems heretofore found to be serious in the operation of helicopters. For example, collective levers are mounted at the left side of the pilot's seat. The lever pivot point is rearward of the pilot. The lever is operated by movement up and down to increase and decrease collective pitch, respectively. When a helicopter is flying with the blades out of track (or for other reasons), vertical oscillations may be generated in the aircraft which oscillations are not readily eliminated during flight. When such oscillations are present, the pilot is subject to the same forces which cause them. As the pilot grasps the collective lever to control collective pitch, oscillation forces are applied to the collective lever and comprise input commands that are undesirable to the aircraft.
Generally, the collective lever is supplied with throttle control for the engines. Dual engine aircraft would require two separate throttle controls on a collective lever. In the past the throttle controls, as rotatable cylinders, have been mounted with the cylinder axes coaxial with the collective lever and are coupled to the engines.